Mast cable assembly

ABSTRACT

In order to protect the electrical cables extending up through a hollow sailboat mast, the cable is inserted side-ways into a split tube made of flexible, impact-resistant material. The tube has an exterior longitudinal bead which is slid into a correspondingly-shaped keyway formed on the inside wall of the mast to hold the tube against the mast wall.

United States Patent 11 1 Merry June 4, 1974 MAST CABLE ASSEMBLY 333.11912/1885 Ephraim 1. 1311/1 11 1.942.445 l/l934 Oldh'. I38 Ill X [75]Inventor: Carl Merryv M Milss- 311x039: 3/l963 Plumh iirm I7-l/D IG1 113 Assigneez Schaefer Marine p d New 3.404.168 l0/l96h Fowler 174, 68 C XBedford, Mass.

[22] Filed: Mar. 15, 1973 Prim/u Exam/'1wr Laramie E. Askin pp NO'I341,712 Attorney, Agent. or Frrm-Cesan and McKcnna [52] US. Cl 174/70 R,114/90, l38/l08, 57

138/111; 174/45 R, 174/72 A i 1 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl B63bl5/00, H02g3/02 In Order to t 7 protect the electncal cables extending up [58] ofSearcham- 174/45 R 68 C1 70 7 I through a hollow sailboat mast, thecable is inserted r- 971 99 side-ways into a split tube made offlexible, impact- 1 14/391 90; 38/1031 1081.1 1 I 1151 resistantmaterial. The tube has an exterior longitudi' H61 H71 166; 40/75 nalbead which is slid into a correspondingly-shaped keyway formed on theinside wall of the mast to hold [56] References the tube against themast wall.-

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 286.940 Ill/I883 Murtin 174/99 R X 6 Claims, 3Drawing Figures MAST CABLE ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION I Themast and sleeve can be made relatively inexpensively by conventionalextrusion processes. Also, the separate components are relatively easyto assemble because side access into the sleeve permits even very longcables to be installed relatively quickly. On the other hand, the sleeveitself is guided properly into the V mast by the interfitting lips andchannel. Finally, since current for operating the lights is conductedfrom a battery below deck to the lightsby cables extending u through thehollow boat mast.

Frequently these cables become frayed because the constant motion of theboat causes the cables to rub against one another and against theinsidewall of the mast. As aresult, short circuits occur which extinguish thelights. Not only does this create a problem as far as maintenance isconcerned, but also a short circuit may occur at night, thereby creatinga navigation hazard. Also, in some cases, the mast may contain lines forraising and lowering the sails. Sometimes these lines become entangledwith the cables so that the sails can no longer be operated properly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, this invention aims to provide amast cable system which shields and protects the electrical cableswithin the mast.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mast cable assemblywhich prevents lines inside the mast from becoming entangled with thecables.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a mast cable assemblywhich is relatively easy to manufacture and install.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mast cable assemblywhich does not add appreciably to the overall cost of the boat.

Other objects will in part be obvious and will in part appearhereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,combination of elements and-arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scopeofthe invention will be indicated in the claims.

Briefly, theprescnt assembly includes a split sleeve formed of asuitable flexible, resilient, impact-resistant material such as vinylresin. The sleeve is formed with lips at opposite edges of the split.The lips are parted slightly when the sleeve is in its relaxed state sothat wires or cables can be inserted sideways into the sleeve. However,when the lips are pressed together, the cables are retained inside thesleeve with the lips forming a bead extending the length of the sleeve.

The sleeve carrying the cables is slid into the mast from one end withthe bead riding in a longitudinal keyway or channel formed in the insidewall of the mast. When the cable-containing sleeve is in place withinthe the sleeve is itself retained tightly against the inside wall of themast, it cannot possibly become entangled with moving lines within themast.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING .For a fuller understanding of thenatureand objects of the invention, reference should behad to thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sailboat having a mast cable assemblymade in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view on a larger scaleshowingthe components of the assembly ingreater detail; and

FIG. 3 is a transverse section of the mast in FIG. 1,

on a still larger scale with the elements of the assembly shown inplace.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning to FIG. 1 of thedrawing, the sailboat 10 is outfitted with a hollow mast 12 made ofaluminum. The mast 12 supports the usual sails l4 and 16 with sail 14being retained against the mast by means of a series of keys (not shown)which slide in a keyway 18 (FIG. 3) formed in the rear face of the mast.Sail 14 can be raised and lowered by means of lines extending downinside mast 12. Two of these lines are indicated in dotted lines at 22in FIG. 3. Boat 10 is provided with the usual mast light 24, bow light26 and spreader lights 28.

Turning now to FIG. 2, electrical current is conducted to these. lightsby means of cables 32 which extend up through the mast. Four such cablesare shown,

mast, its lips are pressed together within the channel so I one for eachof the aforementioned lights,

Cables 32 are inserted into a protective'sleeve 34 which is extruded ofa suitable, flexible, resilient, impact-resistant. material such asrelatively stiff vinyl resin. Sleeve 34 is split, having a lengthwiseslit 36 extending its entire length. Also, the sleeve is formed with apair of lips 38a and-38b at each edge-of the slit which are curved orbowed toward one another.

As best seen in FIG. 2, when the sleeve 34 is in its relaxed state, the.lips 38a and 38!) are parted slightly so that access is providedthrough the slit 36 into the sleeve 34. Accordingly, the cables 32 donot have to be slid endwise into the tube. Rather, the cables, no matterhow long, can be inserted easily through the side of the sleeve simplyby pressing the cables through the parted lips 38a and 38b.

Still referring to FIG. 2, openings 42 are provided at suitablelocations along sleeve 34 so that certain ones of the cables 32 can exitthe sleeve at the proper locations to serve lights partway up the mast.This arrangement provides access to the interior of the sleeve adjacentthe openings so that the cable ends can easily be inserted through theopenings. When the cables are all in place within thesleeve 34, the lips38a and 38b are pressed together. Their shape is such that they form acontinuous bead which extends the entire length of the sleeve. I

Turning now to FIGS. 2 and 3, an extruded mast 12 is formed with aninterior channel 46 which extends the length of the mast. Thischannel isshaped to receive the pressed-together, bead-forming lips 38a and 38b.Sleeve 34 is inserted endwise from one end of the mast with the beadriding in the channel 46. Since the sleeve is made of a relatively rigidmaterial having a smooth finish, it slides relatively easy in thechannel even though there is resilient engagement between the lips andthe channel wall. As the sleeve is fed into the mast, it is guided bythe channel to the top of the mast, whereupon any excess cable andsleeve material projecting from the bottom of the mast can be cut off.

lt is apparent from H6. 3 that sleeve 34 bunches the cables together sothat they cannot vchafe against one another.The sleeve also protectivelyencloses the cables so that they are shielded from any water that mightfind its way into the mast. Also, the interfitting lips and channelsecurely hold the sleeve and its contents against the inside wall of themast so that neither the cables nor the sleeve can become entangled withany of the moving lines 22.

For larger boats requiring additional lights, the extruded mast 12 maybe provided with a second channel 46a to retain a second sleeve 34protectively enclosing additional cables or wires.

Thus, the mast cable assembly described herein provides significantadvantages in terms of reducedincidence of electrical failures andentanglement between wires and running lines within the mast. Yet theinitial cost of the components is relatively low and they are easy toassemble so that installation and maintenance costs are kept to aminimum.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those madeapparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and,since certain changes may be made in the above construction withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

I claim:

l. A mast cable assembly comprising A. a hollow mast having a lengthwisekeyway along its inside wall,

B. a sleeve extending a substantial distance inside the mast,

C. a lengthwise deflectable key affixed to the outside of the sleeve,said key slidably fitting in said keyway, and

D. means for providing access into the sleeve for electrical conductorswhereby, when conductors are placed inside the sleeve, they areprotectively enclosed and held tightly against the inside wall of themast.

2. The assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said means for providingaccess into the sleeve comprises a lengthwise split in the sleeve sothat the conductors can be inserted sidewise into the sleeve.

3. The assembly defined in claim 2 and further including one or moreopenings along thelength of the sleeve so that selected conductors canexit the sleeve partway along its length, and corresponding openings inthe mast so that the selected conductors can exit the mast.

4. The assembly defined in claim 2 wherein the key is comprised of lipsintegral with the sleeve at each side of the split.

5. The assembly defined in claim 4 wherein A. the lips on each side ofthe split are flexible and resilient and bowed toward one another sothat they form said key in the shape of a lengthwise bead, and I B. thekeyway inside the mast is shaped to receive the bead.

6. The assembly defined in claim 5 wherein the sleeve is formed so thatA. when the sleeve is in its relaxed state, the lips are parted slightlyto provide access for the conductors, and

B. when the lips are retained within the keyway, they are pressedtightly together so that they resiliently engage the walls of thekeyway.

1. A mast cable assembly comprising A. a hollow mast having a lengthwisekeyway along its inside wall, B. a sleeve extending a substantialdistance inside the mast, C. a lengthwise deflectable key affixed to theoutside of the sleeve, said key slidably fitting in said keyway, and D.means for providing access into the sleeve for electrical conductorswhereby, when conductors are placed inside the sleeve, they areprotectively enclosed and held tightly against the inside wall of themast.
 2. The assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said means forproviding access into the sleeve comprises a lengthwise split in thesleeve so that the conductors can be inserted sidewise into the sleeve.3. The assembly defined in claim 2 and further including one or moreopenings along the length of the sleeve so that selected conductors canexit the sleeve partway along its length, and corresponding openings inthe mast so that the selected conductors can exit the mast.
 4. Theassembly defined in claim 2 wherein the key is comprised of lipsintegral with the sleeve at each side of the split.
 5. The assemblydefined in claim 4 wherein A. the lips on each side of the split areflexible and resilient and bowed toward one another so that they formsaid key in the shape of a lengthwise bead, and B. the keyway inside themast is shaped to receive the bead.
 6. The assembly defined in claim 5wherein the sleeve is formed so that A. when the sleeve is in itsrelaxed state, the lips are parted slightly to provide access for theconductors, and B. when the lips are retained within the keyway, theyare pressed tightly together so that they resiliently engage the wallsof the keyway.